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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON), [VOL. XI. 



Governor Pyl also ascertained that his own native servants 

 were traitors, particularly the Basnaike of Colombo, who 

 gave every information to the Court and was in secret 

 conspiracy with the Gannebandaar and the courtiers. 



For reasons of State this conduct on the part of the native 

 servants was passed over, but it was considered highly 

 necessary to dismiss the Basnaike, and to replace him either 

 by a Netherlander, a Mixtis, or a Toepas, provided he had a 

 knowledge of the language, thereby following the policy of 

 the wise Portuguese, Count Linhares, of filling the native 

 offices by Europeans. 



It was quite evident to the Governor, that the Singalese, as 

 a brutal and self-satisfied people, considered it would tarnish 

 the glory of their King and be beneath their dignity should 

 they follow the dictates of reason and justice ; therefore any 

 concession on the part of the Company only made them 

 more conceited and unbearable : he could obtain far better 

 terms by showing a bold front, and agreeing with his 

 Council that no lands actually in our possession should be 

 surrendered on any account ; but on the contrary, it should be 

 negotiated to leave us the Pittigal Corle from the river of 

 Waluwe to that of Chilauw and the maritime lands, and 

 consequently the cinnamon, to the exclusion of other 

 Europeans, even if the opening of the ports had to be conceded. 



According to His Honour the Commissary's opinion the 

 Company's right to these lands was based upon their 

 conquest from the Portuguese. It was also worthy of 

 consideration that the Candian King was not sovereign of 

 the lowlands, nor could he be so, as shown by the testa- 

 mentary disposition of the King Don Joan Perie Pandaar of 

 the year 1580 (who styled himself King of Ceilon by the 

 Grace of God), whereby he transferred the whole kingdom 

 of Ceilon to the King of Portugal ; which right the 

 Portuguese have always maintained, and have addressed the 

 Kings of this country as King of Candia, but not of Ceilon : 

 this is made manifest by a certain contract, made in 

 1633 between the King of Candia and the Portuguese, thus 



